Donate everyday items so families of sick kids can be with them 24/7

Families staying in accommodation at a specialist children’s hospital in Oxford are in ‘urgent’ need of daily essential items.

Ronald McDonald House, based at Oxford Children’s Hospital, is a ‘home from home’ for parents and families while their ill children receive treatment.

Our charity of the year, fundraising group Play2Give (P2G), is leading the charge to appeal to Oxfordshire residents to help with its latest appeal.

Staff at Ronald McDonald House have drawn up a list of required items – known as the ‘Amazon wish list’ – and people can donate items online.

Among other things, crockery, bedding and washing materials are all needed as soon as possible.

Ronald McDonald House currently only has 17 bedrooms and demand always far exceeds the amount of families they can help.

Fundraiser Caroline Sinclair said: “The wish list is a hassle-free way of donating the items the charity needs most urgently. Many people don’t realise we exist as a charity until they actually need to use us.”

Planning permission was secured for a new purpose-built, three-storey, 62-bedroomed house in 2016, which, once opened, will be situated on the John Radcliffe site near the women’s centre.

The cost is likely to be in the region of £11m but building will not begin until the money has been raised.

The charity is currently running a 10th birthday campaign to raise £2m this year – £1m of which will be for equipment for the hospital and £1m towards the new house.

The charity is currently unable to say when it will open.

For 28-year-old Andy Baker, founder of P2G, neither the Children’s Hospital or Ronald McDonald House existed when he required treatment in his childhood.

He said: “When I was treated [in 2001] and spent time on the old children’s wards spread between (at the time) the RI and the JR, no such
‘fantastic family accommodation’ existed.

“However, the new purpose built facility to come will be even better, brighter and more vibrant.

“So in 2017 and continuing 2018, we hope we can just do our ‘little bit’ for the house, and through receiving donations from their ‘wish list’ of the essential items they need.”

To help with the wish list, and support P2G’s latest appeal, visit: http://amzn.eu/gJA9Wyz